India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Wednesday named chairpersons of the district planning committees (DPCs) across all 30 districts. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved the appointment of four ministers and 26 BJP MLAs as heads of the DPCs. Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari has been appointed as the DPC chairman for Deogarh district, while Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan will head the panel in Gajapati. School and Mass Education minister Nityananda Gond and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra have been assigned Rayagada and Sambalpur districts respectively. The remaining DPCs will be chaired by ruling party MLAs. Prominent among them are Ashok Mohanty (Angul), Laxman Bag (Balangir), Padmalochan Panda (Balasore), Ashwini Kumar Sarangi (Bargarh), Purna Chandra Sethy (Ganjam), Amarendra Das (Jagatsinghpur), Tankadhar Tripathy (Jharsuguda), Fakir Mohan Naik (Keonjhar), Jay Dholkia (Nuapada) and Prasanta Kumar Jagadev (Khurda). The move comes in the wake of Opposition criticism of the government for failing to operationalise grassroots planning mechanisms. During the budget session, Opposition members repeatedly flagged the non-constitution of DPCs and questioned the delay in decentralised planning processes.
BJP member Manas Dutta blamed the previous BJD government and held it responsible for not extending their service agreement which ended in April, 2024. As hundreds of women working as support staff under the Mission Shakti department staged a demonstration outside the Assembly over different issues, the opposition BJD on Monday demanded immediate release of their salaries. While the agitating women were shouting slogans at the Mahatma Gandhi Road leading to the Assembly, the issue was raised in ...Read More >
Mumbai: The birth of three penguin chicks at Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo has sparked an unexpected row not over their care, but their names. BJP functionary Nitin Bankar from the Byculla Assembly constituency has objected to the chicks being given English names, insisting they be named in Marathi instead. The BMC is expected to respond by June 10, after which Bankar will decide his next move. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bankar said, "When penguins were brought from abroad, we accepted that their names would be in English. But these chicks were born on the soil of M ...Read More >
Berhampur (Odisha), Jun 6 (PTI) Environmental activist Medha Patkar on Saturday appealed to the people of Odisha for protection of Rushikulya river. The government planned to construct a dam in the river Pipalapnaka under Sorada block in the district. While participating in the Save Rushikulya river movement in Ganjam district, she said, "Rivers may be small or big, but they are our mother. We have to protect the rivers from attacks." She attended a meeting were organised by the Rushikulya Banchao Kriyaanusthan Committee (RBKC) and the Centre for Climate Justice, spearheading the agitation a ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Sainik School Bhubaneswar is set to host the prestigious "All India Sainik Schools Inter Group (National Level) Football Tournament-2025" from June 7 to June 15, 2025, at its school campus in the State Capital. The tournament, organized under the aegis of Sainik Schools Society, Ministry of Defence, and Government of Odisha, will feature teams that have emerged victorious in the eight Intra Group competitions. The tournament will be conducted in three categories: Sub Junior Boys (Under 15), Junior Boys (Under 17), and Junior Girls (Under 17). The winners of this tournament will ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Jun 30 (PTI) A day after three people were killed in a stampede near Shree Gundicha temple in Odisha's Puri, the Congress on Monday demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi and his deputy resign, taking responsibility for the tragedy, and also called for a judicial inquiry. Alleging that the BJP prioritised billionaire Gautam Adani, who attended the Rath Yatra, over the people, the opposition party said the state government has turned Odisha's holiest festival into a private event for "billionaires, cronies, and camera crews, at the cost of ordinary devotees". ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD and Congress MLAs Tuesday staged a walkout from the Odisha assembly, accusing the ruling BJP of failing to control prices of essential commodities and resolve the potato crisis in the state. The issues were debated in the House over the admissibility of an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition on price rise of vegetables, pulses, edible oil and fuel. The opposition members took exception to comments made by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra that adverse climate conditions, rates in international and domestic markets, and less production by ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday witnessed a noisy scene as Opposition BJD and Congress members held protests inside the House over alleged non-payment of salaries to around 60,000 women supporting staffers under the 'Mission Shakti' scheme. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik accused the BJP government of "conspiring to stop" salaries of the 'Mission Shakti' staff. As soon as the Question Hour began, the BJD and Congress members trooped to the well of the House and demanded immediate release of salaries of around 60,000 women supporting staff working under the 'Mission Shakti' sch ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) In the aftermath of Puri stampede that claimed three lives, Odisha Government on Sunday shunted out Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal while two other senior police officials have been placed under suspension. Collector of Khordha, Chanchal Rana and DIGP of the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police, Pinak Mishra have been appointed as Puri Collector and SP respectively, as per a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office following a high-level meeting. DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Pa ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday condoled the deaths in the Puri stampede, describing the incident a 'serious warning' on the lapses in security and crowd management during the Rath Yatra. He also demanded punishment for the guilty. "The stampede incident during the Rath Yatra in Puri is extremely tragic. I express my deep condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured devotees," wrote Gandhi on X. "I appeal to the Odisha government to expedite relief efforts and urge Congress workers to provid ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Friday decided to implement two new schemes for the development of biotechnology and to enhance urban infrastructure. The Cabinet also gave its nod to a proposal to float a tender for Chheligada multipurpose medium irrigation project in Gajapati district. These proposals were approved at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. "The two new schemes, named 'Development of Biotechnology' and 'Mukhya Mantri Sahari Bikash Yojana (MSBY)', aimed at creating employment and strengthening the State's economy," Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja told ...Read More >
Puri: At least three persons, including two women, were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple during Odisha's Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra on Sunday morning, June 29, officials said. The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said. "Out of the 50 injured, six people are still unconscious and their condition is very serious," an off ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 30 (UNI) The Commissionerate Police today arrested three individuals, including a BJP corporator, for assaulting Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu inside the corporation office. The incident sparked widespread resentment among BMC employees, who, along with several BJD corporators and leaders, staged a road blockade on the busy Bani Vihar-Master Canteen stretch in the evening. The protest brought vehicular movement to a standstill for several hours, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. Police later removed the protesters, i ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Famous producer Ektaa Kapoor has met Chief Minister Mohan Majhi in Odisha Assembly on Tuesday and thanked him for declaring 'The Sabarmati Report' tax-free in Odisha. She had urged Chief Minister Majhi and the Council of Ministers to watch the film. On November 28 Odisha government declared to remove the entertainment tax from 'The Sabarmati Report', informed Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mukesh Mahaling. The movie is produced by her. Taking to his X handle, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, "People's government has decided to make the film 'Sabarmati Report' based on ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jun 30 (PTI) Senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was allegedly dragged from his office and assaulted by a group of miscreants on Monday, police said. Sahoo has lodged an FIR at Kharvelnagar police station. "An FIR has been registered at the Kharvel Nagar police station by the officer. We have arrested three persons so far," Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena told PTI. The police have so far arrested Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debashis Pradhan. Further investigation is on. Invo ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 30 (ANI): Tensions rose in Bhubaneswar on Monday after the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. BMC Mayor Sulochana Das said the officer was dragged out of his office by 5-6 men, assaulted, and an attempt was made to abduct him. She demanded that an attempted murder case be filed and that all the accused be arrested. Speaking to the reporters, Das said, 'Nobody is safe here. A government officer was dragged out of his office by 5-6 men. He was assaulted, and there was an attempt to abduct him. We had t ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area forming over the north Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal is expected to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of Odisha through July 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Saturday. An upper air cyclonic circulation currently persists over southwest Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southwestward with height, the IMD said. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to develop over the region within the next 48 hours. The sy ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a tragic incident during the Rath Yatra in Puri, the Odisha government Sunday removed Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Vinit Agarwal from their posts and announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives. The state has also suspended two police officers for alleged negligence in crowd management. Senior IAS officer Chanchal Rana has been appointed as the new District Magistrate, and IPS officer Pinak Mishra will take charge as the Superintendent of Police. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep s ...Read More >
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) of Odisha said that the Puri District Collector and SP have been transferred. Odisha CMO further said that DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have also been suspended for negligence of duty. The development comes after three people, including two women, were killed and around 50 others were injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri. In the latest development in the Puri Rath Yatra stampede, the Odisha government said that the Puri District Collector and SP have been transferred. Odisha CMO further said that DCP Vishnu Pati and C ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi along with students from govt schools across the state, attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pariksha Pe Charcha on Monday. The interactive session aimed to boost students' confidence ahead of the board exams, offering guidance on handling pressure, time management, and other academic concerns. Odia student Priti Biswal was among those who had the opportunity to interact with the Prime Minister. Attending as chief guest in the Pariksha Pe Charcha-2025 programme held at Unit-I Government High School, Majhi asked students to focus on prep ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Odisha on June 20 as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's first anniversary celebrations in the state. The visit, which was initially scheduled for June 12, has now been rescheduled, confirmed revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari on Saturday. Making the official announcement, Pujari underscored the significance of the Prime Minister's presence, describing it as a moment of pride and political importance for Odisha. The event is expected to draw significant attention from both state and national stakeh ...Read More >
A tragic stampede occurred at the Gundicha Temple in Puri. Three devotees lost their lives early Sunday morning. The incident took place amidst a large gathering. Devotees had assembled to view the deities. Eyewitnesses reported vehicles triggered the panic. Police response is under scrutiny. Authorities have suspended officials and announced compensation. An investigation into the incident is underway. Three devotees lost their lives early Sunday morning in a stampede outside the Gundicha Temple ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 29 (UNI) The Odisha government today suspended Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of Ganjam Block, Susil Kumar Panda, following his arrest by the Vigilance on charges of possessing disproportionate assets. Bhubaneswar, June 29 (UNI) With the tragic death of three devotees and at least fifty others injured in a stampede near Sri Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri during Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra during wee hours on Sunday sparking shock waves across the state and exposing the gaping holes in the efficiency of government machinery, Odisha Chief Minister has issued a statement te ...Read More >
Puri, Jun 29 (PTI) Three persons, including two women, were killed and over 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri early Sunday during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities, officials said. The incident took place around 4.20 am when thousands of devotees had gathered near the chariots parked in front of the temple, they said. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital where the condition of six people is stated to be critical. The Gundicha Temple, located around 3km from the 12th century shrine, is the aunt's house of Lord Jag ...Read More >